Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Sizzleness Pink’

ABSTRACT

A  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Sizzleness Pink’ characterized by its medium size decorative inflorescences with elongated quilled pink ray-florets, with a response time of 52 days.

RELATED CULTIVARS

‘Sizzleness Pink’ is related to ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ (copending U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/841,472) and ‘Sizzleness Green’(copending U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/841,484), which areall color sports of the original ‘Sizzleness’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 10/782,856).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Sizzleness Pink’ is a product of a breeding and selection program whichhad the objective of finding color mutants of ‘Sizzleness’. The newplant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum plant that is a natural occurring sport of a parentchrysanthemum named ‘Sizzleness’. A comparison with Parent chrysanthemum‘Sizzleness’ is also made in this application. The new cultivar wasdiscovered as a whole plant mutation in 2002 by Mark Roland Boeder in acontrolled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland. The first actof asexual reproduction of ‘Sizzleness Pink’ was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2002 inRijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemumbearing medium sized decorative blooms with elongated quilled pinkray-florets and a green center.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown in April/May in a greenhouse in RijsenhoutHolland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generallyused in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during thiscrop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C.After a long day period of 14 days the photo-periodic response time inthis crop was 52 days. After the long day period to flowering growthretardants were applied 2 to 3 times in an average dose of 2.5gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance ofsusceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought resistance. Thisnew variety produces medium sized blooms with pink ray-florets andblooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum hasbeen found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughoutsuccessive propagations however the phenotype may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature.To show the phenotype as described ‘Sizzleness Pink’ can be plantedwithout assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week1 and week 35 year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. Withassimilation light (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year roundunder greenhouse conditions in Holland.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarsin comparison to ‘Sizzleness Pink’ is the parent ‘Sizzleness’ and thesport ‘Sizzleness Yellow’. When ‘Sizzleness Pink’, ‘Sizzleness Yellow’and the parent ‘Sizzleness’ are being compared the following differencesand similarities are noticed: The difference of ‘Sizzleness’, and itssports ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ and ‘Sizzleness Pink’ is (1) Color rayflorets. The color is for ‘Sizzleness’ purple and cream, while it ispurple/yellow for ‘Sizzleness Yellow’ and pink for ‘Sizzleness Pink’.For which characteristics ‘Sizzleness Pink’ has been selected from theoriginal ‘Sizzleness’. All other characteristics of ‘Sizzleness’ and‘Sizzleness Pink’ are similar.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Sizzleness Pink’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of cultivar ‘Sizzleness Pink’ Bud SizeMedium, cross-section 0.6 cm, height 0.6 cm Outside color Yellow-white158D Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bractsamong disc-florets Not present Involucral bracts color Green 138BInflorescence Type Decorative Height 3 cm Size Medium Fully Expanded 6cm Peduncle length Near the top 7 cm, near the middle 10 cm, near thebottom 15 cm. Peduncle color Green 138B Number of inflorescences perstem Average of 20 Performance on the plant 5 weeks Seeds (if crossed)Produced in small quantities, oval shaped, grey-brown 199A, 2 mm inlength. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum Color Center of the flowerImmature Yellow-green 145B Mature Yellow-green 154C Color of uppersurface of the ray- Upper surface Red-purple 70B florets Lower surfaceRed-purple 70D Tonality from Distance A spray mum with pink flowers anda green disc Color of the upper surface of the Red-purple 70B rayflorets after aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and underside smooth Number 100 Shape Elongated quilled Longitudinal axis ofmajority Straight Length of corolla tube Long; 2 cm Ray-floret marginEntire Ray-floret length 2.5 cm Ray-floret width 0.2 cm Ratiolength/width High Shape of tip Rounded Disc florets Disc diameter 0.8 cmDistribution of disc florets Few, only visible in mature stage offlowering. Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 154D Receptacle shape Domedraised Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in disc florets only) ThinStamen color Yellow-green 144B Pollen Produced in small quantity Pollencolor Yellow-orange 14A Styles (present in both ray and disc Thickflorets) Style color Yellow-green 150C Style Length 4 mm Stigma colorYellow-green 145D Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in perianth PlantForm A spray mum meant for erect culture Growth habit Upright Growthrate Medium vigor Height 90 cm Width 28 cm Internode length 2-3.5 cmSpray formation Cylindrical Stem Color Yellow-green 148A Stem StrengthStrong Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration PresentFlowering Response (photo-periodic 52 Days controlled crop, not naturalseason) Foliage Color immature stage Upper side Green 137B Under sideGreen 138C Color mature stage Upper side Green 137A Under side Green138A Color midvein Upper side Yellow-green 145C Under side Yellow-green148C Size Medium; length 13-11 cm, width 6 cm Quantity (number persingle stem) 26-30 Shape Elliptic Texture upper side Fleshy and glabrousTexture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of themargin Dentate Shape of Base of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral LobesMargin of Sinus Between Lateral Rounded Lobes Shape of Base Obtuse ApexMucronulate Petiole length 2 cm Petiole color Yellow-green 145C

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison Varieties ‘Sizzleness‘Sizzleness Pink’ Yellow’ ‘Sizzleness’ Color ray-florets Red-purple 70BGreyed-red Purple-violet 182B with 80C and Yellow 10A Yellow 4D at edgesat edges

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.